Ember Alchemist
by Sakura-Sucks
Summary: Who is this mysterious girl lying infront of Tucker's house? Ember, just like Edward Elric, is an alchemist too who is set out to become a state alchemist. When she meets Al and Ed, her life changes forever. But it's not all happy endings and sunshine
1. Chapter 1

**Ember Alchemist **

**Chapter 1 – An Unexpected Visitor**

She grasped her stomach tightly, feeling as if she were about to explode from the pain her wound was causing her. Suddenly she doubled over, coughing up a fresh pile pf blood. It spattered onto the freshly fallen white snow. "I… Need help…" the teenage girl whimpered, still holding her bleeding wound. Looking around with her dark grey eyes, her scarlet red hair which had been tied up into a low side pony tail brushed her cold red cheeks, frantically she spotted a large white mansion.

"Surely they'll help me…" and with that she dragged herself to the front door with all her might and collapsed.

"I think there's someone at the door!" cried a little girl. Her name was Nina Tucker; she was the daughter of an infamous alchemist who this week had two famous guests staying with him at his house; Edward and Alphonse Elric, the famous Elric Brothers. Ed had been staying there to study for the State Alchemists Exam so he could become a State Alchemist, or as he called it, a dog of the military. He didn't want to become one, but he needed to undo a wrong his brother and himself had caused.

"I'll go see then" said Al, Tucker followed, as did little Nina. He opened the door and gasped at what was before him. "We've got to help her, by the looks of it she's been there all night!" he cried.

"I'll get some blankets," Tucker nodded, "Nina- you go get daddy's first aid kit!" Nina ran off, her little brown pig tails flying behind her.

Al lifted the girl up with ease and carried her to the living room. By this time Tucker had gotten the blankets and had laid them out on the couch for the girl, so Al rested her on top of them. She gave a small groan, trying to open her eyes.

The groan turned into a small scream, feeling the stinging medicine Tucker had taken from the first aid box and was applying to her wound.

"It's ok, you'll pull through, it looks worse than it actually is" he told her, smiling.

"Thank you… I'm Ember by the way" she grinned even though her cut was still stinging like hell.

Al decided to introduce everyone. "I'm Al, Alphonse Elric" he told her, "And this is Mr Tucker and Nina" Nina gave Ember a toothy grin, and Tucker smiled whilst pushing his round owl glasses up.

"Hey, where's little big brother Ed?" asked Nina, looking around, suddenly realising he had missed all the excitement.

"Oh, he's just had a shower, should be done by now so he's probably in our room" Al informed her, giving a small pat on her head. She giggled with glee, "Come on big brother, and let's go get Ember some new clothes because her ones are all messy"

"Ah, you're right!" yelped Ember, looking down to see the bloody mess her black top and jeans had become.

In a flash, Nina was back with an old nightgown and dressing gown. "Here, they used to be mommy's before she went away"

"That's a good girl Nina," Tucker praised, "Now Ember, the bathroom is upstairs and to the left, you can get changed in there"

"Ok, thanks" she replied and got up to head towards the bathroom. She was feeling a lot better now.

Upstairs she pushed open the bathroom door and shrieked at what she saw.

"Ahh, who are you!" screamed a boy, about Ember's age. It was Ed; he had just come out of the shower and was now in the middle of getting changed.

"Holy crap, you're naked!" Ember squealed, the nightgown in her arms dropped to the floor has she put her hands across her mouth to stop her from laughing.

"Yeah, now get out!" and with that Edward slammed the door shut, leaving Ember to stand there giggling at him.

Al and Tucker rushed up to see what was the matter, "What happened?" gasped Al, finding that Ember was actually laughing.

"He," she sniggered, "he.. I saw him naked!"

"Oh knock it off!" Ed yelled from the other side of the bathroom. Although his reaction only made the others want to laugh as well.

"Well, if it makes you feel any better…" said Ember, a cunning fox face coming over her as she pressed herself against the door, "You may be small but _it _isn't!"

"Who you calling so small you… Wait, what?" Ed was used to short jokes, but Ember was just confusing him. She and the rest of the guys outside the bathroom couldn't see it, but Ed's face had gone bright red.

Edward got changed as fast as he could and stormed out of the bathroom and into his room, followed by a quick giggle from Ember as she disappeared to get changed herself. When she came out, she knocked on Ed's door.

"What is it?" snapped a huffy Ed.

"Hey," smiled Ember who just couldn't wipe the grin off her face. "Just thought I'd come to see you…" suddenly the fox face was back, "After all, I _have_ seen you naked"

"Oh shut it!" snapped Ed, and he folded his arms and turned away from him. Ember sat down beside him on the bed, a book titled 'Alchemy' fell to the floor.

"Oh, so you're an alchemist?" said Ember, picking the green hardback up and having a quick flick through it. "Me too!"

"No kiddin…" replied Ed, facing her, feeling a little interested now.

Ember smiled at him, offering him a hand, "I'm Ember, Ember Machete"

Edward shook her hand, smiling back, "Edward, Edward Elric, but you can call me Ed"


	2. Chapter 2

**Ember Alchemist**

**Chapter 2 – The State Alchemists Exam **

**_(Sorry about any typos etc, thanks for reading...)_**

"Pleased to meet you," Ember said to Ed, letting go of his hand.

"Ditto" replied Ed, "So… You're an alchemist"

"Yup"

"Oh and by the way, what happened to you?" Ember just gave Ed a confused look, "I mean, when I saw you, you were covered in blood and stuff… Although I admit, that wasn't really the first thing on my mind…" Ed pulled a face as he recalled Ember busting in on him while he was getting changed, he even turned a light shade of red as he remembered the little comparison she had made about the size of him and, well, _something else_... his, well 'manhood' as some would put it.

"Oh, well, I was beaten up, by, um… "It was clear Ember was reluctant to talk about it. It brought back painful memories of her past. "Well, I'll tell you after you tell me about what happened to your arm and leg!"

"So, you noticed…" Ed didn't really want to talk about his past either; it was painful for him too.

There was a short silence which was only broken after Ember stated "Well of coarse I noticed, I did see you naked after all, I saw everything!" This, despite his embarrassment, did ease Ed a little.

There was a knock at the door, "Ah, there you are Ember…" Said Tucker, "I've got together some money so Ed and Al can take you shopping for some new clothes"

Ember seemed to be the only one who remembered she only had a nightgown and a dressing gown to wear.

"No offence Mr Tucker, but I can't go out like this" she reminded him, trying to sound as polite as she could, afraid she sounded rude.

"Oops, I forgot about that"

"Here," Ed offered, "Take this" and he tossed Ember his long red coat. "It should be long enough to hide the night dress so you won't look too weird; I suppose you've already got shoes"

"Yeah, red baseball boots with a black rim," answered Ember, "Thanks"

"Don't worry about it, I've already got this black jacket to keep me warm so it's not a big deal" Ember smiled thoughtfully, taking off her dressing gown and trying on the big coat and buttoned it up to the top so there was no trace of what she had on underneath. It fitted perfectly which it should of as Al and she were just the same size. It actually looked good on her too.

"Heh," chuckled Ed, "It looks like you're naked underneath my coat 'cause it's so long"

"Oh shut up," Ember grinned at him.

Suddenly Alexander, the Tucker Family's large pet dog started barking wildly. "Daddy, there's someone at the door!" Nina yelled up the stairs. Everyone, including Ember and Ed, went to see.

"Hey Ed!" a friendly face greeted him.

"Maes Huges," Ed replied, "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I came to stop you from studying on your birthday"

"Studying?" Ember replied, "For what?"

"That state alchemists exam..." Ed gave a great sigh, "I'm going to become a dog of the miliary"

"Really?" then suddenly panic took hold of Ember, "Dammit, that thing is tomorrow! I havn't studied enough! Shit!"

"Wait, wait, why are you going to become a State Alchemist?" asked Ed.

Ember looked down at her feet, "I have my reasons..." she was eager to change subject, "Anyway, is it really your birthday today?"

"Yeah..." Ed replied, wondering where she was getting at.

"It's my birthday tomorrow! How old are you gonna be? Thirteen, twelve?"

Ed's blood began to boil, he knew he looked young because of his height, but surely he didn't look _that_ young! "I'm going to be fifteen dammit!"

"Oh sorry, Heheh," Ember replied, "But isn't this weird, i'm going to be fifteen too"

"But aren't you forgetting something?" Maes Hues butted in, "It's my little Alicia's birthday too! " He whipped a small photograph of a little girl with bouncy blonde bunchies in her hair. "Isn't she cute, look everyone," he turned to Ember whom he knew had never seen her before, "Hey little lady, isn't she just adorable, look at the teddy bear she's got there, it's the smae size as her!"

"Well, um, we'd better get going to the market for Ember now, bye Maes!" Ed said; Maes was really getting on his last nerve. He always went on about is little girl.

"Wait!" exclaimed Maes, "I'll give you a ride there, we can talk about Alicia the whole way there!" He pulled Ed into the back seat of his black shiney car. Al and Ember sighed loudly as they followed him too, listning to Maes as he droaned on and on and on and on the whole way to the town.

"Kinda reminds you of Winery, huh?" Al laughed as he, Ed and Maes watched Ember run around from stall to stall of the busy market place looking at all the pretty clothes for sale, she had stars in her eyes.

"Oh yeah, Ed, what's your friend Winery gonna say about your little girlfriend Ember here?" smirked Maes.

"She's not my girlfriend, she's just our friend!" Ed snapped back at him.

"Well I dunno, Ed, you and her were alone in our room for an awful long time yesterday, and she's seen you naked and everything!" Al patted Ed on the back and he and Maes giggled like little school girls, exchanging looks.

"Will you guys shut up! She's not my girlfriend!" shouted Ed angrilly, steam coming out of his ears.

Suddenly the ground began to rumble violently from beneath Al and Mae's feet... But Ed couldn't feel a thing. It started shaking as roughly as an earthquake until eventually the ground was torn from beneath their feet and the two fell to the floor with a crash. Bits of rock and other things of what once belonged to the road scattered around them.

Ed's eyes flickered upwards to see Ember grinning, feeling pleased with herself, a transmutation circle drawn on the pavement beneath her feet. "That'll teach them," she grinned and went back to browsing the stalls. It was then, judging by the huge amount of ground and how effortless Ember had made the entire thing seemed, he knew how skillfull an Alchemist Ember must be.

That night back at the house, Ember was trying on the clothes she had bought in the market that day and showing them off to everyone. She was wearing a deep red strappy top with black staps and baggy three-quarter-length trousers with a red studded belt with her baseball boots and a black leather studded wristband. "I think you look great," said Tucker thoughtfully, Nina giggled and took Ember's hand, leading her to a seat where she sat on her knee. Ember tickled her and fondly called her a 'little rascal' which made her giggle even more.

"Yeah, I think it looks alright," agreed Ed, everyone else nodded their heads. Al was about to make a comment that Ed had to agree because if he didn't his girlfriend Ember would have kicked his ass, but then he remembered what Ember had done with her alchemy and decided it would be best to stay quiet.

The next day was to be the Alchemy exam, noone could sleep - they were all too excited. "Brother are you nervous?" Al asked Ed as they lay on they're beds in their room that night.

"Hell yeah," he replied, "But don't worry, i'll pass for sure and then we can get our bodies back!"

All of a sudden, the door creaked open and Ember entered. She had bought new night wear at the market and was now wearing a plain white t-shirt with black shorts. "Can I come in?" she asked, "I can't sleep"

"Sure, go ahead" Al answered, so Ember sat down on the ground, leaning her head aginst Al's bed side. She didn't seem to take any notice that Ed was only in his underwear, but the boys figured she would probably only say 'Well, I've already seen him naked, so it's not a big deal' if they asked, so they avoided questioning that, however, Ember had noticed Al.

"Wow Al, you really wear that thing to bed?" Al didn't reply, but Ember didn't mind.

"So, Ed, you excited about the exam tomorrow? I'm pretty nervous"

Ed sat up, "I'm dreading it, not too sure how I feel about becoming part of the miliary"

Ember sighed, "Well then why are you taking the test, ideot!" she glared at him, "And what happened to your arm and leg, you still havn't told me... and Al, how come you never take that armour off?" Ed ignored her and lay back down on his bed, turning away from her to the wall, Al did the same.

"We need to get some sleep" Al mumbled, turning off the bedside lamp.

'_Well, if they won't tell me, i'll have to find out for myself, won't I?' _Ember stood up and gulped. Al's armour shone brightly in the moon-light. She grasped hold of his helmet and heaved it off his body.

Ember screamed loudly.

"What, what is it?" Ed jumped up, turning his light on. "Ack! Ember, what did you do!"

"He- He's not got a body!" cried Ember.

"Uh-oh," Al said, "Look's like we've got some explaining to do, Ed"


	3. Chapter 3

**Ember Alchemist **

**Chapter 3- Pasts Uncovered **

**_(Sorry for any typos, etc, and thanks for reading. I know the last chapter was called 'The State Alchemists Exam' and there wasn't actually the exam in it, but it was made so you know that Ember wants to become a State Alchemist. The Exam is in this one. I better also add that Chapter 1, 2, this chapter and the chapters to come were based around about episode six of Full Metal Alchemist, so if you havn't seen it, you'd be better to. __has a bunch of FMA episodes to offer, so you can see it there.) _**

* * *

"What's going on!" Ember demanded, "Why the hell has Al not got a body? This is really freaking me out you guys" 

"Shh," hushed Ed, waving his arms about frantically infront of him, "You'll wake Tucker and Nina up!"

"Answer me Ed!" snapped Ember.

Al sighed, "Ok Ember, sit down for this"

Ember shrieked, Al's head had just talked to her! She went to gently place the helmet back on the suit of armour, whilst at the same time feeling seriously weirded out. "Huh?" she said, noticing the weird red marking on the inside of Al's body. "A blood seal... Of coarse!"

"That's right," Ed replied, "That's the only thing connecting Al's soul to that armour"

Ember sat down on the end of Ed's bed, hugging her knees, "So... How did he get like that?"

Ed looked at her, his eyes full of sorrow, pain, memories he wished he didn't have. "The same way I got this automail"

Al continued for him, as strong as Ed was, he knew the memory of their mother stilll brought tears to his eyes. "Our mother... passed away when we were very small... At that time, we had learnt alchemy. We were good at it too, especially Ed, he was a child prodigidy"

"Wait a second... The Elric Brothers, I knew I heard the name 'Elric' from somewhere!" Ember stated, "So, you're famous..."

"That's right," replied Ed, feeling a little full of himself, "We're the Elric Brothers!" He made a victory sign with his fingers before going back to leaning back against his bed with his two hands supporting his head in a casual fashion.

"Heh, I saw superstar naked- go me!" joked Ember, Al laughed as she made the victory sign back at him.

"Hey, when are you gonna let that go!" yelped Ed, not feeling as confident as he was before.

"I'm sorry," said Ember, "As you were saying..." Both Al and Ed were back to being serious again.

"Al was ten and I was eleven when it happened," Ed told her, "I remember the day as if it were yesterday... We were standing infront of her grave when I said 'Let's do it... Let's bring Mom back!' I dragged Al into it... It wasn't his falt... "

"But human transmutation is forbidden!" gasped Ember.

"Well, we did it. I thought we could have done it, with our skills I thought we could do anything. We studied hard and didn't even let Auntie Pinako or Winry, our friends from back home, in on it. Then came the day we tried it... I remember, it was raining heavily, we headed into the barn, got out all the measurments, drew the transmutation and the result... it, it wasn't human!" Ed's mind flashed back to an image of their mother, then of her death, then another of the ugly creature that they had produced from the result of their alchemy all those years ago. The images kept coming up over and over and over again in Ed's mind like a giant slideshow that wouldn't stop. He gripped his head and yelled, a fountain of tears falling from his face. Gritting his teeth he tried to continue, "And then..." but he couldn't, he just couldn't.

"I don't have many memories of mother," said Al, staying as still as a statue. A shadow cast itself apon him, making the tale sound even more eeiry coming from him than it did from Ed. "But I know what we did was wrong. It wasn't Ed's falt, I should have stopped him, I had a bad feeling about the whole thing but I said nothing. Something went wrong during the transmutaion and I lost my body and Ed lost his leg... In an attempt to save me, he lost his right arm too, but managed to attach my soul to a suit of armour in the corner. We want to find something called the Philosopher's Stone, so we can get our old body's back. That's why my brother decided to join the military"

Ember glanced over at Ed, who was still struggling, he tugged at his shiney blonde hair, hoping that the physical pain from that would help get rid of the phsycological pain that was consuming him inside.

All of a sudden Ed felt two warm arms take hold of him, embracing him in a warm hug. It was Ember. She pressed her head lightly against his, her arms wrapped around him like a scarf. Ed felt something wet fall on his face: teardrops. Ember was crying too.

"You guys..." she choked through her tears, "I know almost exactly what you guys have been through. I'm even trying to join the military for the same reason as you two, although it's for a whole different reason I want that stone" Ember let go of Ed.

Something inside of Ed didn't want her too. It had been a long time since anyone had ever held him like that, he had missed the feeling.

Ember sat beside Ed, she went back to hugging her knees again and looked down at the bedspread, avoiding eye contact with Edward and Alphonse.

"My parents abandoned me when I was a baby. A woman adopted me, I called her 'Mom' because I never thought of her in any other way other than a mother. I was her life and she was mine. However, she was quite young - only sixteen when she adopted me. she had dropped out of school because of bullying, but it wasn't just any ordinary bullying. A large-scale gang known as 'The Nightriders' had given her trouble from day one. Something about her father, who was a police officer, locking most of the gang members away in jail. They wanted revenge and killed him, then they went after Mom. They succeeded in killing her when I was only eleven and i've been on my own ever since. I want to avenge her death by becoming one of the most powerful Alchemists around, but I can only do that with The Stone. That's why I was so badly wounded back when Tucker, Nina and you Al found me on the doorstep; The Nightriders had been trying to kill me. I thought I was going to die... I.." She trailed off.

More tears came, now it was Ed's turn to comfort Ember. He held her tightly and let her lean on him, her head lying still against his chest. She could hear his heartbeat. The room filled with silence.

Soon after that, the three drifted off into sleep.

* * *

"Woah, what did you two do last night while I was asleep?" sniggered Al. 

Ember and Ed awoke to find that they had fallen asleep with Ember ontop of Ed, their faces pressed together softly, somehow Ed's arms were also still around Ember. They both jumped up, blushing like mad and Ember rushed straight off the bed in a fluster as if Ed might have some sort of catching illness.

Their small sighs of relief as they remembered what had actually happened made Al laugh harder.

Ed had been comforting Ember with his arms round her whislt Ember rested herself on him. Ember must had fallen down ontop of Ed after they had both fell asleep.

"Ah, you should have seen you two last night. You both looked so sweet!" Al joked again. Ed knew they might be hearing about this for a while, on the bright side though, it seemed that Ember's 'I saw you naked' jokes were over and done with now, but it was still a wonder as to how any of them could joke around after the seriousness of last night.

"Come on, we'd better get ready for the exam," Ember said, leaving to get breakfast, Ed and Al went to join her.

Breakfast, pancakes with maple syrip, was already waiting for them on the table. Nina was done and was busy sitting on the floor, colourful crayons scattered around her. Tucker had been politly waiting for the three kids before starting on his meal.

"What's that you got there, Nina?" asked Ember as she pulled up a chair beside Tucker.

"It's a drawing! Wanna see?" Ember nodded and so Nina proudly showed off her picture for everyone to see.

On the picture were the crayoned faces of five people; Nina, Alexander the dog, Ember, Al and Ed. "That's a very good drawing, hunny" Tucker told his daughter.

"I'm gonna send it to mommy with the letter I wrote... " announced Nina, "Hopefully she'll reply this time," she added sadly.

"Mr Tucker, whatever happened to your wife?" asked Edward suspiciously. He remembered something Roy Mustang, a man from the military he would be working with if he passed the State Alchemy Exam, had said... Tucker's wife had died. Had Tucker been telling Nina she was still alive? And if so, why?

"Oh, she couldn't stand being poor and being an Alchemist's wife so she moved back with her parents," was Tucker's reply.

_'something's up...' _thought Ed to himself as he ate up his pancakes, letting the syrip slide down the back of his throught. It tasted sour to him, much like the atmousphere in the room with Tucker that morning. "Well you kids better get going, don't want to miss the exam do you?" Tucker told them, sensing the uneasy aura.

Al came along with Ed and Ember for moral support. When they got to the exam, Mustang and Maes were there too. "Hi everyone! Hey Ember, nice to see you again!" Maes waved at them cheerily. Mustang didn't say a word, he never usually greeted Al or Ed very warmly anyway. You could tell by his narrow eyes he wasn't the sort of person that would say everything sugar-coated and sun-shiney anyway.

* * *

"Alright Alchemists," the announcer began as everyone took their positions on the feild. 

"Pft," Ed and Ember heard another Alchemist from behind them mutter, "I can't believe they're even letting pipsqueaks try out for the Exam!"

Ed snapped, (as he usually would whenever someone insulted his size,) "Hey, who you calling a pipsqueak!" he exploded, waving his arms in the air like a loonatic. The man gave him a dirty look, Ember tapped his should and whispered for him to calm down.

They focused their attention back onto the exam. It was just a large area covered in rocks, trees and water; everyting basically they needed to create transmutations.

The announcer spoke again, "We've provided you alchemists with everything you should need, all you all need to do is impress us..."

"Shouldn't he be atleast a little more specific!" Ed whispered quietly to Ember, but the announcer didn't give her time to reply.

"Ready... go!" he yelled.

A geeky looking man went first. He drew himself a circle and produced a gigantic tower made out of stone, but he had used up too much energy and couldn't even stand up. All he could do was lie on the ground panting as the military tutted and shook there heads.

The next man was an expensive looking man who seemed chock full of himself. He ripped two trees out of their roots and placed them inside a transmutation circle, then he added a bucket of water to it.

A large hot air balloon bobbed into the sky. The Alchemist had created paper and hydrogen from the trees and water!

Suddenly there was a loud popping sound, the balloon had burst! Then there was a crumbling noise. As Ed, Ember and all the other people gazed up they saw that the tower the first man had made was falling to peices because the second man's balloon had rammed into it. The second man screamed loudly as he spotted a large grey rock falling straight towards him. "Help me!"

Ember and Ed went straight into action.

Ed clapped his hands, he didn't really know what he was doing, but there was no time for him to draw a transmutation circle, he needed to act now. Ember did the same, she didn't really know what she was doing either.

Ed slammed his hands down on the ground and suddenly the ground underneath the man turned into a large hand-like rock which swooped him away from the danger zone. "Ember, you take care of the rest," called out Ed to Ember, giving her a thumbs up.

Ember smashed the palms of her hands against the tower and suddenly the tower began to glow red until it began to smoulder. Scared that the small fire Ember had just created would get out of hand, she shouted to Ed. He clapped and slammed his hands back down on the ground again and created another rock hand, which scooped out some water from a man-made river in the feild and catapulted it onto the tower. A cloud of steam rose up into the air, atleast everyone now knew they were safe.

"How'd we do that?" yelped Ember, wiping the sweat from her brow and she went over to Ed, who was just as shocked at themselves as she was.

The military man in charge smiled, "Alchemy without a circle, eh? I think we have our State Alchemists"

* * *

The next day, Ember and Ed were goven there offical State Alchemist silver pocket watches from Mustang. They were now officially dogs of the military, but they didn't relise at the time what they were getting themselves into. 

"So, now that you're State Alchemists, you'e gonna need names..." Mustang told them from behind his desk.

Ed and Ember just stood in awe before him, their faces totally blank. "What?" replied Ember.

"You know, like how I am the Flame Alchemist..." Mustang told her "Well, everyone seems to be calling you Ed the 'Full Metal Alchemist, so there's you... and you girl... Hmm, can't give you Flame Clchemist, that's mine... how about... Ember Alchemist"

"Um, that's actually kinda weird for me" Ember answered nervously.

"How come?"

"Well, Ember's kind of my name"

"All the more easy for people to remember your name then" he shrugged, and signalled that the two could go now. Ember's face fell, 'Ember Alchemist' wasn't exactly what she had in mind, but she supposed, it would do.

* * *

It was night by the time they got back. 

Everyone was asleep, apart from Alexander who greeted them with afew mad barks and the snatching of Ed's watch.

"Hey, give that back, it's not a friggen chew toy you know!" said Ed chasing him indoors.

Ember just laughed at Ed fondly. She was about to follow them inside until she heard some curious rustling in the backround, "Is someone there?" she called out, worried they might be here to steal from Mr Tucker and Nina. She loved them to peices and wouldn't want anything bad to happen to them. "I can here you come out!" she shouted again.

Suddenly someone grabbed her violently from behind. "Ember, I knew we'd find you, now say your goodbyes!"

"Get away from me!" screamed Ember trying to get away from the dark man, but her screaming was just an exuse for the shadowey man to gag her so hard that she could barely breath.

Ember wasn't going down without a fight and she grasped hold of the pointed railings on the fence outside the Tucker household. "Stopthe struggling, you little bitch!" snarled the man, tearing her away. The was a ripping sound and the man relised his jacket pocket had gotten caught on the railings and had been torn off. "Look what you made me do, you worthless peice of trash!" Ember tried her best to scream but the peice of cloth around her mouth wouldn't let her, it was no use.

"Eeew," mumbled Ed trying to wipe the dog spit off his watch, "Stupid mutt! Hey Ember, you'd better come inside, it's getting chilly!"

His glance tried to find Ember, but all he could find was a peice of ripped cloth stuck to the railings outside where Ember had been standing with the words 'Nightrider' stitched in gold lettering on it.

Ed gazed into the darkness of the night... "Ember!" he cried.


	4. Chapter 4

**Ember Alchemist **

**Chapter 4 - Avenging Mother **

**(_Ok, so i've kept forgetting the disclaimer and I've made tons of spelling/grammer mistakes, i'm really sorry . and i'm pretty sure they'll be more smistakes to come so sorry in advance. Thanks for reading, please review... and now on with Chapter 4...) _**

**_Disclaimer (atleast I remembered this time): I don't own Full Metal Alchemist, if I did I'd be having a feild day right now and wouldn't be here writing this! _**

**Oh ya, and I suppose while I'm at this, since we're getting into the good stuff now, I should give you a quick catch up on the last chapter, weeelll- Ed and Ember became State Alchemists and also learned of each others pasts. Ember was being hunted down by a gang called 'The Night Riders' and was kidnapped by a member of the gang. Now it's up to Ed to save her from her death.**

* * *

"Ember! No!" cried out Ed, blinking back his tears. He rushed over to the pieces of torn dark denim cloth that was hanging from the railings beside the gate. 'Nightrider' he read the stitching aloud. "So, it was them that kidnapped Ember! I've got to go get Al" 

Ed sprinted inside and burst open the door to their room. "Brother, what's wrong?" asked Al who had stayed up and was busy pearched on the edge of his bed, reading a book on Alchemy.

"Ember," Ed panted, "was kidnapped by those Nightrider people!" Al got up.

"Come on we've got to save her!" Al said. And so the boys ran down stairs.

"Where are you two going?" a voice queried as Ed and Al were just about to step outside. They turned round to see Tucker sitting in his chair in the hall with some paper work scattered around his feet. Beside him was Alexander, he barked happily at the boys.

"Alexander!" Ed said, coming up with an idea. "Tucker can we please borrow Alexander? Maybe he can sniff out these crooks!"

Tucker flinched, "Um... No sorry, I need him to stay here..."

"Why?" asked Al, but Ed just tugged on Al's shoulder.

"Come on!" he said, "It doesn't matter, there's not enough time, we need to go save Ember!"

"Right"

Outside, Al observed the footprints left in the snow outside the gate. With them you could see where Ember had struggled to break free and had held onto the fence as a last resort, you could also see the foot patterns of the Nightrider. Of when he had snatched Ember away and bundled her over his shoulder and fled.

"We need to follow these footprints," Ed told Al and they went on their way.

* * *

Back with Ember, the Nightrider had reached The Nightriders hideout and the gang members had tied up her hands and then tied her arms tightly to a stone pillar, the gag still in her mouth, in the middle of the large warehouse they called their hideaway. 

The warehouse looked rusty and abandoned. It was an old, unsteady place that was falling to pieces. The inside wasn't much better. It was decorated with old, dirty tables and chairs with a afew dangling broken lights hanging from the ceiling, a dusty smashed TV set stood unwanted in the corner and there were bits of splintered wood lying everywhere.

Ember sat down on the cold, concrete ground, feeling the evil eyes of the gang burning into her. She knew they were right now thinking, plotting of ways to torture and eventually kill her, just like they had done to her mother. _'It's hopeless,'_ thought Ember, _'I guess I just have to admit my defeat and take what's coming to me here' _

Two men, one was the man that had kidnapped her, the other was the leader of The Nightriders, Ember remembered his horrid smug face from the dreadful day they stole her mother away from her. The leader, of whom the gang addressed as 'Boss' but was known to friends and enemies as 'Wolf', laughed intimidating at Ember, who wasn't free to do anything but cry out her sorrows.

"I knew we'd catch you sooner or later," he sneered, "You had a lucky escape last time, just like your mother" What was he talking about? Her mother hadn't had a lucky escape! Ember flashed him a look of disgust.

"Don't give the boss dirty looks!" snarled the other man, and he punched her. Ember yelped helplessly and fell to the floor. She mumbled something that sounded like 'You bastard!' which only made the man more angry than he was and he kicked her hard in the stomach. "Heh, scum!" he sniffed.

"That's enough, Target!" Wolf said to him and he raised his ring covered hand. He stood over Ember, making her feel small and all the more timid. Wolf was a smart looking man in an expensive grey suit and shiney black shoes, with long black hair with a strand out of place and small square glasses on a narrow head. Ember quivered slightly, and closed her eyes tightly. "I suppose you're wondering what we're going to do to you?" he said, pretending to be nice and kind. "Well, firstly," then his evil look and gruff voice came back, "Me and the boys are going to beat the shit out of you! Then we'll leave you to suffer a bit and then... It's night-night for you!" He finished his little speech with a kick in the head for Ember and then went back with Target for a game of cards.

They left Ember on her own for about five minutes to shiver with fear. It was torture enough for her, so when her eyes flickered upwards against her will to see Wolf and most of his goons standing in front of her holding terrifying looking weapons; knives, clubs, metal poles, even a gun or two, just about every gangster weapon in the book, Ember felt terrified.

Just about all hope was lost until she heard the sound of the familiar voice of a short, blonde Alchemist shouting from the entrance of the hideout; it brought her an amazing amount of comfort to her ears.

"Get away from her!" Ed yelled, gritting his teeth "Or I'll make you pay!"

"You heard him," said Al, not wanting to miss out on all the fun.

Wolf rolled his eyes, "Heh, yeah, we're really going to listen to a shirmpy little kid and his pet deformed robot!"

"Don't call me short! I'm not short!" exclaimed Ed. "That's it, you're gonna get it!" He ripped off the white glove on his right hand, revealing his shining, metal automail arm; he then clapped his hands together and ran his left hand over his automail one and suddenly it transformed into a blade. "Let's go Al!"

Ember wriggled out of her gag, "Ed!" she screamed, tears dripping from her eyes. "You guys came to rescue me!"

"Of coarse brother and I did, we're your friends," Al filled her in. Ember couldn't help but smile; she had never felt this loved in years.

"Brat, you shut up!" Target snarled at her, and he lifted her up by her ruby hair and punched her in the mouth. Blood dripped out of it and Ember doubled over, coughing.

Wolf sent forward his pawns first to attack Ed and Al, all wearing the same black denim jackets that Target had been wearing when he had taken Ember. They charged at the two, only to be defeated in one blow. "Pft Al, these losers don't even know what they're doing" Ed said to Al loud enough for everyone else in the room to hear too, pretending to yawn as if he were bored with these guys already.

"Careful brother, don't get too cocky!" Al warned him.

"Yeah right," was Ed's reply.

The second lot of thugs were sent. They were defeated in just one swipe of an Alchemists blade and thud of an armoured thud too.

"Grr, Target, go!" Wolf ordered.

"Yes boss," Target replied. He drew a transmutation circle on the ground and Wolf handed him a large scrap of metal that had been lying somewhere behind them. Target lifted it up with ease although it was clearly very heavy and he placed it inside the circle.

In a second he had transmuted himself a huge sword. The handle was made from the concrete on the ground and the gigantic triangular blade at the top was made from the metal. "Heheh, I've made it specially with rough edges so it can shave off almost anything. Target turned to Ember, "I'll use Ember here as a demonstration. He swiped the sword across the underneath Ember's right eye. She screamed with the pain. The blade had left a large painful looking scraped scar that began to bleed. Droplets of Ember's blood dripped from Target's sword. "Watch boy," Target yelled madly at Ed, spit dropping from his mouth as he said it, "Because this will be you next!"

"Don't worry brother, I'll protect you!" Al told Ed and he stood infront of him, stretching out his large metal arms, ready to catch the blow... But he didn't.

Bang... Screech!

Al looked at his hands to see what the sword had made of them. The sword had almost ripped his hands clean off, and he had the marks to prove it.

"Al, if you face this guy, you'll probably end up with no limbs. My blade is stronger than you're armour, let me take him on!" Al didn't want to let his older brother fight such a dangerous guy, but he knew what Ed had just said was true.

"Ed, you don't need to do this!" Ember yelled, "I'm not worth it, if something happens to you to, I'll never forgive myself!" She bit her lip to stop herself from crying as she imagined how terrible her life would be without Ed and Al.

Ed smiled at her, "And if anything happened to you I'd never forgive myself, so looks like we're stuck"

"Ed..." Ember whimpered silently to herself.

"Ahhh!" Ed screamed as he felt the blade dig into his human arm. Al and Ember gasped, but Ed was still determined to win. He forced his blade into Target's shoulder and twisted it until her heard his cry of pain. Target swung his sword at Ed but he dodged it by quickly jumping over the sword and landing gracefully back on his feet. _'I'll never win this way' _thought Ed and he hid behind a pillar.

Target grinned and with one last heave he rammed his sword into the bottom of the pillar. It crumbled and crashed to the ground. Ed tried his best to dodge it, but he didn't make it in time and his right arm was crushed underneath the fallen concrete pillar. Target smirked and held his sword to Ed's face. "This is the End boy!"

"Ed!" Ember screamed. _'He's going to die and it's all my falt. Just cause I had to go play the damsel in distress, and I hate girls like that too!... How could I have been so careless! I can't let him die all because of me! Starting right now -I refuse to be so pathetic and needy. I'll never be the damsel in distress, the girl who needs saving again... Never again!'_

With all of her might, Ember stretched the ropes enough for her to clap her hands. A red glow came from them, just like what had happened in the Alchemy Exam the day before. She gripped hold of the ropes and burnt them until they were small enough to brake free from. She pounced up and sprinted as fast as her legs would let her towards Target.

"Ember, how did you...!" Wolf gasped, but he couldn't stop her.

Just as Target was about to strike Ed down, he felt a burning pain take over his face, as if it were on fire. Ember.

He screamed in agony, whilst Ember, not even flinching stood behind him, staring at him coldly, her hands gripping hold of his head. "Ember?" said Ed watching as Ember forced Target to sink to the ground. Ed used this moment wisely and kicked the sword away out of Target's hands.

"Wait, you mean it's that bratty bitch that's doing this to me?" pathetically squeaked Target, who now looked about as threatening as a girl scout.

Ed laughed, "Well, she is the 'Ember Alchemist'" Ember closed her eyes and chuckled lightly at his joke.

"Take your hands off him!" said Wolf from behind her. _'When did he get here?' _Well, it didn't matter anyway, because the answer to that question wasn't going to get the knife Wolf was holding to her neck to go away.

"Bastard," Ember murmured, and she gingerly raised her burning hands off of Target.

"Oh I don't think so," Al said, Ember gave a sigh of relief as she turned round to see Wold lying on the floor twitching with a mark from where Al had bunch him in the teeth on his mouth.

"Alright," Ember said in a strong voice to all the Nightriders in the room. "Unless you want your asses kicked, you're gonna let us go!" The gang did as she said, shaking like little baby, looking like they had just wet themselves. "Revenge is sweet, isn't it? Guess my avenging is all done!"

"Avenging?" Wold asked, standing up, "For what?"

"My mother, you prick! What else, don't try to tell me you didn't kill her, because I know you did!"

"We didn't kill your mother," said Wolf, "We were _going _to but on the same day we planned to she committed suicide and jumped off a cliff. We went down to see the body, deciding that if she was still alive we'd finish her off... but all we could find was a not in her pocket: A suicide note"

"I don't believe you, I won't believe you!" said Ember, feeling queasy and suddenly dizzy.

"Suit yourself, but here's the note..." Wolf dug in his pocket and dragged out a small dirty folded sheet of paper. He flicked it onto the ground and it landed infront of Ember's feet. Her hands shaking like crazy, she read it out loud in a choked up voice.

_"'Dear whomever this concerns, _

_As you can see, i have chosen to take my life. There is no one really that important I have left behind apart from a little girl, my Ember. Ember, I will always love you but this Nightriders thing was just too much to bear... I couldn't take it anymore, I'm sorry I have left you all on your own, but please understand... '"_ Ember couldn't bear to read the rest and she let the slip of paper fall out of her hands and sway to the ground."You... Wolf, you bastard, this was all you and you're stupid gang's fault! I'll NEVER forgive you!"

Ember clapped and made her hands burn again then she threw herself at Wolf and punched him, again... again... again... again...

"Stop Ember, you'll kill him!" yelled Ed, "I know your angry, but that's not the way, it won't make things better" Ember halted in mid-punch. She tossed Wolf across the room. Al placed a hand on her shoulder, telling her that everything would be ok.

Ed glared at all the goons across the room, "Right, now as the nice lady said - If you don't want your asses kicked, let us go!"

Al heaved the pillar off of Ed's arm. "Ow, it doesn't look to good," Ed said, biting his lip as he looked at his automail arm, it was in a right state.

Suddenly, clunk! Something fell ontop of Al's head with a loud bang. They looked up and relised it was a part of the room. "The roofs falling apart in!" yelled Al.

The Nightriders all screamed, "I knew we need to get this place fixed," sighed Wolf, putting his hands over his head to brace himself.

A large part of the roof was heading towards Ember, she gave a short scream and closed her eyes tightly shut waiting for the pain... But it didn't come. When she opened her eyes again she saw Ed, sheilding her from the large plank of metal that should have hit her. "Thanks Ed" she smiled weakly.

"Don't mention it.." but suddenly Ed collapsed, falling unconcious.

"Brother!" exclaimed Al, rushing over to him, dodging a sheet of metal and afew small rocks falling from the sky. "Come on Ember, it's not safe in here, we need to all get to a safe place" He lifted up Ed and Ember followed him outside to a safe area.

They lay Ed down on on the dusty ground outside. Al scanned him over with his eyes for afew moments. "This is bad, his automail will have to wait,we need to find a hospital for Ed, fast!"

* * *

**Dun - dun-du-un! Sorry, I just really wanted to say that ; ... Anyways, I don't want to sound demanding... but seriously, please, can I get some reviews. This will be the last chapter i'll be writing for a while until I get some decent reviews, sorry. ... um... Dun-dun-du-un!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Ember Alchemist **

**Chapter 5- Winry Meets Ember.**

**_This should be an interesting chapter... As much as I hate Winry, if Ed's got another gurly in his life, Winry's gonna have to find out sooner or later. Oh yah, I gave up on the whole reviews thing. I'd still reeaalllylike a review, but I've kinda given up hope. But thanks _Drowningforyourlove_ for your nice review. _**

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Full Metal Alchemist, if I were i'd be having a feild day right now. _**

**Catch Up: Ed and Al saved Ember from The Nightriders, however the hideout was an old place and the roof caved in on everyone. Ember was about to fall victim to a large chunk of metal falling from the roof until Ed dived infront of her to save her... However, Ed's wounds are serious and he needs to go to hospital. **

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* * *

**

"Oh Al, this is all my fault!" exclaimed Ember, gazing at Ed's almost lifeless body lying on the ground. His red oversized trench coat was ripped and tattered and he had cuts all over his skin, his automail arm was smashed up too.

"No it's not!" soothed Al, "Don't say that" He placed a friendly arm around her to try and offer her some comfort... It made Ember remember the night she had fallen asleep, even if it was accidently, in Ed's arms and it only made her hurt even more.

Al lifted his big brother up, "We'd better get him to the nearest hospital, and on the way we'd better tip the police off about The Nightriders too" Ember added a small sigh to her nod and they went on their way.

* * *

Al and Ember sat beside Ed's bed at the hospital for hours, simply watching him sleep. Al wanted to say something to Ember to make her feel better but it seemed that nothing he could possibly say would. 

"Oh Al, do you think he's gonna be ok..." Ember asked him, their sad eyes both met eachother.

"Well, it's almost impossible to tell right now," Al answered, truthfully enough. Just then a slightly stumpy nurse with brown bobbed hair entered the room.

"Ah, so are you two the family and friends?" Al and Ember nodded grimly. "Right," the nurse began, pulling her red clipboard up to her face, "His injuries are serious and we're doing all we can to help him... Unfortunatly he's going to have to see his mechanic about that arm, but we've got him on a drip so the rest of him should be getting better.

Al stood up, "I'll go call Winry- his mechanic," he informed Ember and the nurse, leaving the room to go find himself a pay-phone to do so.

Ember burried her head in her hands, not moving in the slightest, she just wanted to be alone for a bit. The nurse got the message. "We're doing our best to save your boyfriend..." She said and on that note she left.

"He's not my..." Oh what was the point anyway. "Oh Ed, please don't leave us, please don't leave me!"Ember thought aloud.

"Well, Winry's on her way," Al said as he sat back down on his chair. His eyes circled the room. It was a fresh white colour with bright white sheets and linoleum flooring and two grass green potted plants in two corners of the room, with a nasty smell of rubber gloves and other hospital things lurking outside in the corridors. "I think I'll go meet her at the train station, if anything happens with brother, come get me right away, Ok?" Ember nodded slowly, following it with a sad 'Mm-hm'.

"Wait," she stopped Al just before he left, "What's this Winry like?"

"Well, um, she's..." the thought had never really crossed Al's mind before, "She's got real character... And likes to throw wrenches at Ed" Al added. Ember pondered on this for afew moments. To her, this Winry sounded like a batty old middle-aged bitch with a temper problem.

* * *

"Al!" cried an attractive young blue eyed blonde in a blue miniskirt, cream sleeveless tee and a pink bandana. 

"Winry!" Al called back to her. She rushed on over to her, and Al opened up his arms thinking they were both about to embrace eachother in a hug.

No such luck.

"What have you and Ed been up to now," she screamed at him, bonking him on the head, getting all up in his face... literally.

Al took afew steps back, Winry was dangerous when she was like this, and he knew from experirence. "Well, um, a roof caved in on us and Ed was unlucky" he put his hands infront of himself to protect him, convinced Winry was about to hit him again.

"What did you do to your hands!" she screached at him, noticing the huge scuff marks, "They look awful!"

"Um.. Come on, let's just get back to Ed..." Al said, running off.

"Get back here!"

* * *

By the time they had reached the hospital, Al had dissapeared. Winry was a scary girl, but now she felt totally lost, standing in the middle of this huge busy hospital looking like a complete vegetable. She spotted a nurse and tapped her on the shoulder. "Excuse me, I'm looking for Edward Elric?" she told her, hoping to be enlightened. 

"Oh yes, he's on the second floor, ward four, room one-one-five. He's with his little girlfriend" she smiled sweetly.

"G-girlfriend?" Winry stuttered. Her eyebrow began to twitch wildley and she looked as though she had just seen a ghost.

Winry stormed away, her face like thunder. She was going to give Ed a piece of her mind. The truth was Winry had been trying to pluck up the courage to confess to Ed how much she loved him for years, but now this random girl, who probably wasn't even good enough for him, waltzed into his life and suddenly he was totally smitten! "I'm going to give her a piece of my mind!" She murmured to herself furiously.

The nurse watched Winry nervously, "Did I say something I shouldn't have?"

* * *

Winry exploded into Ed's hospital room as if she were an active volcano on the verge of destruction. "Right where is he!" she hissed. 

Suddenly Al popped up behind her "Winry I've been looking for you everywhere!" he said. Winry turned round, giving him a look of death, Al slowly edged away from her.

"So Ember, any news?" Al asked her, trying to get away from crazy Winry. Winry's gaze fell on Ember, but when she clocked Ed, lying motionless on the bed her anger turned to saddness. Her eyes welled up and she flung herself at him. "Poor Ed, Al you didn't tell me Ed was seriously ill. I worry about you guys so much..." Winry's kind and sweet side started shining through, this was the side Al liked to see. Al had always thought Winry was a beautiful lady, however he knew there would be no point of even beginning to show feelings like that... After all, what phsychopath would return them; he was a metal suit for crying out loud!

"Ah, so this is Winry..." Ember said to nobody in particular. _'She's not at all what I imagined, although... She is a bit mad... But she's pretty I guess' _

Winry looked at Ember with a weird emotionless expression. "And you're Ed's girlfriend"

"What? No I'm not, we're just friends" Ember stuttered suddenly.

Winry breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh that's good" Seeing how frightened and somewhat jelous she had gotten after thinking Ed had gotten himself a girlfriend really made Winry think... Ed wasn't going to be single forever, she need to show him how she truelly felt now, before it was too late and that Ember loser snatched him up.

"Ed, please wake up," she whispered softly, staring at his handsome face. She longed to see his gorgeous golden eyes again.

Suddenly, Ed gave a groan. His vision was blurry as he first opened his eyes, but slowly but surely he made out the fuzzy shape of an attractive young girl looking at him. "Ember is that you?" he said slowly.

Winry flashed a scary look, "I'm Winry, moron!"

"Winry, when did you get here?"

"During the time you were out cold, Ed you've been unconcious for ages" She pulled him into a long hug, Ed didn't have any time to react, but it was still good to see that old friendly face again.

Al and Ember stood side by side watching them, "I think I'll go for a walk," Ember said sadly and she quickly left, folding her arms, hanging her head sadly.

After afew moments of hugging, Ed wriggled away from Winry's tight grasp, "Where's Ember, is she alright, what happened. Is she safe?"

"Why all the questions... And what does it matter anyway. You're safe!" Winry answered snootily.

"Because I got like this trying to save her. If Ember's not ok, then all of this was in vein" Ed stated, crossing his arms pouting.

Al stepped in, "Ember's fine, she went for a walk"

"Does she know I've woken up though. Wouldn't she want to know?" Ed said, searching the room as if Ember would spring up infront of him.

"Well actually..." Al said, slightly confused, "Ember left after you woke up. Strange..."

Winry sniffed, closed her eyes and shrugged, "Well, guess she just doesn't care" Ed tried to stand up, but his right arm wouldn't work right, when he had leaned on it, his hand just wouldn't take on the weight... Then he remembered. That pillar had crushed it. Winry got out of her pale pink rucksack a screwdriver and some metal scraps, "Well, I'd better get you fixed" Ed sighed and layed back down on the bed.

"I don't get it... What's wrong with Ember, did I do something bad?" Ed mumbled to noone is particular as he rested his heavy head onto the pillow.

"There there, just relax," Winry said, producing her beloved spanner from her back-pack. But suddenly as she searched inside it for some screws she needed she gave a huge gasp. "Oh no!"

"What is it?" Al and Ed asked at the same time, both sounding slightly panicky.

"I've forgotten a whole bunch of screws and other stuff!" Winry cried. "I'll still be able to fix your arm a little but it won't be the same. you'll have to come back home to Rizenbul with me so I can fix it up properly"

Ed said nothing and waited until Winry was finshed with his arm until he actually did. He didn't even make a sound during the process, which impressed Winry, but she supposessed it probably had something to do with how Ed was used to it now. Four years it had been. Four long, struggling years full of stress and dissapointment. Winry wished Ed and Al would just come home so they could all live together happily and things could be just like it had been when they were little kids again.

"So, can I use it again now?" he asked, trying to move his hand.

"Yes," Winry answered, "But don't put too much of a strain on it ok?" she added sternly. Ed nodded. Winry smiled. "Ok, just let me put all my mechanic stuff away"

"Oh here, let me help you with that..." Al said, turning to help Winry.

"So Ed..." Winry twirlled round again, ready to engage him in conversation, but all she could find was an empty hospital bed and an open window.

She rushed to the window. "Ed, where are you going?" Winry watched as he used his alchemy to turn part of the wall into a stone hand that caught him at the bottom of the building, enabling him to jump off swiftly on to the ground. "Ed!" Winry called once more, but he ran off. "Ed, you stuborn ideot..." she sighed sadly.

* * *

"Ember! Ember where are you!" Ed called, smoothing down his red trench-coat and making sure his white gloves were still hiding his auto-mail. "Excuse me sir," Ed lightly tapped a passing gentleman on the shoulder. "Have you seen a red haired girl round about here? She's about the same hight as me and she's wearing baseball boots" The man shook his head so he went off to find another person. He gave a short exasperated sigh. _'I'll never find her'_

* * *

"That'll be 4.50 missy," the jolly shop-keeper said, his brown moustache bobbing up and down as he said it. 

"Thanks," Ember said dully and handed him the money. She cradled the beautiful white lillys and 'Get Well Soon' card in her arms and scuffed her feet as she walked outside to find somewhere she could sit down. The park wasn't to far from this shop she was at, so she decided that would be a good place to go.

Ember collapsed onto the park bench, gently lying the Lilys beside her, the card she rested on her knees. Ember rumaged around in her back pocket for the pen she had bought in the store before the flower shop, once she had found it she sat cross legged on the bench and chewed at the pen lid, thinking of what to write inside the card.

It was a goodbye card she was planning on writing. Ember didn't really know how she could possibly some up all her feelings into one tiny message. After about five minutes of wracking her brain she finally came up with a good start...

_'Dear Ed, _

_Thank you so much for everything you've done. I've never had a friend that was as caring as you...'_ She scribbled. Her expression became even more upset looking as she went on.

_'I think it's time I left though, I've caused you guys so much trouble already... You almost died because of me, I think id I stayed around something even worse would happen to you... I wouldn't be able to even look at myself if you died because of me. Besides... I don't think Winry really wants me here to be honest but thanks for being so kinds towards me and tell Al thanks too, he's so sweet... I'll remember you two forever, always' _

Ember paused for afew thoughtful moments and suddenly memories of her and Ed flashed into her mind, they made her smile and suddenly without thinking she wrote at the very bottom of the card:

_'I love you. _

_- Ember x' _

"Wait, why did I write that?" Ember suddenly yelped, touching her cheek. She wasn't in love with Edward! He was just a friend to her... A friend that was all, nothing more, right?

Ember shook her head feircly, trying to desperetly shake the idea from her brain, but it wouldn't budge and slipped into the very back of her mind so the idea would always be there, planted in her head as if reminding her of what she had stupidly thrown away.

It was as if her subconcious was trying to tell her something, by the way it had taken control of her hand, making her write those three small but powerful words like that. Ember stared hard at it, concentrating on it as if in doing so it would solve all the problems of her heart she so clearly had.

Ember was too busy reading it to notice the blonde in the red trench-coat sit down on the bench back to back with hers. "Ember," Ed whispered almost silently under his breath. he noticed she was reading something. Curiously he sat directly behind her, craning his neck around so he could read the writing on the little card she was holding.

Ed squinted his eyes slightly and began to read...


End file.
